Truss construction



Dec. 12, 1939. 'I N, M FQULDS 2,183,015

TRUSS CONSTRUCTION Filed July '7, 1938 INVENTOR. J3 IWA/@LM Fama E ATTGRNEY.

Patented Dec. 12, 1939 PATENT OFFICE y 'moss CONSTRUCTION l Neil M. Foulds, Sterling, lll., assignor to Frantz Manufacturing Co., Sterling, Ill., a corporation f Illinois Application July 7, 1938, Serial No. 217,867

- Claims.

This invention relates to trusses for garage doors and other structures, and more particularly to those of the kind in which a flat strap of metal is used, instead of a round rod, and in 5 which one or more saddles are used for the intermediate portion of the truss strap or member, to maintain the end portions thereof at the desired angle'.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is toprovide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby an adjustable saddle is provided, which can be adjusted to give the end portions of the strap or truss member the proper or desired angle, and which can be manufactured cheaply, and installed in an easy and convenient manner.

To' the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. lis a vertical section of a garage door and the adjacent parts of the building, said door having the upper edge portion thereof provided with a horizontal truss construction having a saddle embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 2 2 in Fig. l of the drawing.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section of one end portion of the truss.

Fig. 4 is a Vertical section on line 4-4 in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5 5 in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view, with certain portions shown in plan view, of that portion of the structure shown at the bottom or lower end of Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Fig. '7 is a perspective of the adjustable saddle portion of the device shown in Fig. 5 of the 40 drawing.

As thus illustrated, the truss construction comprises a flat strap l of metal, anchored at one end at 2, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and anchored at the other end at 3, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The anchorage for the two ends of the truss strap or member does not involve any novelty, and does not need any further description.

As shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 7 of the drawing, the saddle, constituting the present improvement,

in truss construction of this character, comprises a stationary U-shaped member 4, held by screws 5 and bolts 6 to the door 1, which latter is an ordinary garage door that has a vertical closed position in the doorway, and that has an overhead along the upper edge of the door, inside the latter, to keep the door from sagging in the middle when it is in its overhead position, as the door is only supported at the opposite sides thereof, and the middle might sag if no provision Were made to the contrary. The adjustable U-shaped member 8 is provided with a series of holes 9 at each side thereof, and the U-shaped member 4 is provided with a pair of holes, one at each side, for the bolts l0, which are inserted therethrough and through the holes 9 to hold the two U-shaped members in relatively adjusted position, the member 8 fitting within the member 4, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. The head of the member 8 is provided with a central depressed portion ll to support the strap i, and straight guide portions i2 are provided at each side edge of the saddle portion Il, to keep the strap in place on the portion il, but it will be seen that the latter is free to slide on the saddle when the screw device i3 is tightened at one end of the truss construction.

It will be understood, of course, that the door may be provided with as many trusses as are necessary or desirable, and may have another similar truss at the lower end thereof, as indicated at i4 in Fig. 1 of the drawing, for while it is desirable to have the door of'light construction, it is also desirable to have it perfectly rigid so that it will maintain its accurate fitting relation to the doorway, when it is opened and closed.

Thus, with a truss saddle of the character shown and described, comprising merely two sheet metal U-shaped members which can be cheaply manufactured and easily assembled and installed, the necessary or desired angularity for the end portions of the truss strap or tension member can be determined for the purpose of giving the truss and sustaining strength necessary to keep the door or other part against sagging, or in any other desired position, as the truss saddle shown and described is not limited to any particular use, and may be used in any truss construction where it may be found necessary or suitable or advantageous for the purpose of providing the truss with adjustability for the middle portion thereof. In other Words, the height of the saddle, from its base to its head, can be changed or varied to suit the requirements, With a comparatively inexpensive construction, and while only one saddle is shown for the truss shown and described, it is obvious that two or more can be used, to support the middle or intermediate portion of the truss strap or tension member, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is obvious, of course, that the adjustable truss saddle shown and described, comprising the two U-shaped telescoping members, is not adjustable while the tension member l is resting thereon. However, this saddle is adjustable in height before it is assembled in the truss, and such height is then fixed by the bolts i0, and the saddle is then solidly secured to the door or other support by the screws 5, in the manner previously explained. Therefore, if it is desired to change the tension of the truss, the nut I3 is rotated to slide the truss strap l longitudinally on the seat or guide formed on the top or crown of the saddle. Such adjustment, by the nut I3, operates to equalize the tension in all parts of the member l, without disturbing the xed adjustment of the saddle itself. It is obvious that the screws 5 can be inserted and removed, Without disturbing the bolts IU, so that the means for securing the saddle in rigid position on a support is entirely independent of the means for adjusting the height of the saddle.

Thus it will be seen that the flat member l is held against turning or rotation on the seat Il of the saddle, and hence the member l prevents the tensioning device 3 and I3 from turning, being held against any such turning or rotation about the at strap or tension member itself.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A truss having a saddle comprising means forming a base portion to be secured in a stationary position on a support, and a head portion having means for engaging the tension member of the truss, combined with means whereby the head portion is adjustable on the base portion to in eiect increase the height of the truss from its base to the end of its head, thereby to determine the angle of the end portions of the tension member, said base portion comprising a U-shaped sheet metal member, and said head portion comprising another U-shaped sheet metal member, with the arms or sides of one member sliding within those of the other member, screw means for fixing the side portions in relative adjustment, and the head portion having a guide for the tension member.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, having a tensioning device at the end of said tension member, the latter holding the device against turning, the said tension member sliding in said guide and Vheld against turning in the latter when said device is adjusted.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said guide comprising a seat to engage the inner side of said tension member, and integral portions outside said tension member at opposite ends of said seat.

Li. 'A truss having a saddle which is adjustable in height 'before'it is assembled in the truss, but which is non-adjustable afterward While the truss is under tension thereon, a guide on the top of the saddle, a tensioning device at the end of the truss, adjustable to cause the tension member t0 slide longitudinally in said guide, the latter formed to' prevent turning of the tension member thereon, and means other than the adjusting means thereof to fasten the saddle in fixed position on a support.

5. A structure as specied in claim 4, said guide having portions both underlying and overlying the tension member, so that the latter is only removable endwise from the saddle.

NEIL M. FOULDS. 

